Former Chief Rabbi Avraham Shapira, (Rosh Yeshiva of Mercaz Harav) slammed those who recently went to the Har Habayis, and restated the obvious Issur of going to the Har Habayis. He was speaking at a Yom Yerushalayim rally event in his Yeshiva when he made his statement.
His statement comes on the heels of religious-Zionist rabbis who called on people to go to the Har Habayis after they themselves visited the Makom Hamikdash last week.
It is interesting to note that Rabbi Dov Lior, the head of the West Bank rabbinic committee and the chief rabbi of Kiryat Arba, who was among those who visited the Temple Mount with the group this week, was seated next to him when he made his statement.
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6 Responses
He is a Gadol. no doubt.
It is certainly newsworthy that Rav Avraham Shapira shlita has reiterated his opinion that one may not go up to any part of the Temple Mount.
However, I would like to point out that the issur is far from “obvious,” given the fact that some of the Rabbanim who disagree with Rav Shapira are serious talmidei chachamim who have certainly given this matter a great deal of thought before making their decision.
For one thing, they believe that there is substantial archaeological evidence that certain parts of the har habayis compound do not have (and never did have) keddusha, as they are not part of the original site. This research was not available to earlier generations.
This is not the place to debate the issue.
However, it would be appropriate for the YW editor to be a bit less cavalier when discrediting the psak of the major Rabbonim involved here, even though they might very well represent a minority view.
I would suggest that the YW editor stick to reporting halachic disagreements and leave it up to us readers to do the voting (that is, those of us who think we know enough to “vote.”)
DS
well….I am not sure that in Mercaz Harav circles they say “Maran Hagaon Harav…”? do they?
anyway…..he is a gadol.
Rambam claerly says that a Tamei Met is allowed to go to Har Habayit. No one has ever disputed that untill our generation.
We are only not allowed to go to the area where the temple stood.
Do we know where the temple stood?
We have a clear massoret that the under the dome of the rock is Even Hashtiya which Kodesh Hakdoshim.
The RAdbaz said that there is no doubt about that. No Rabinical authority has ever disputed that untill our generation.
The Radbaz also clearly said that we are allowed to go to Har Habayit.
Thus untill our generations the halcha was clear. It was allowed to go to Har Habayit.
None of todays Gdolim who forbid going to Har Habayit have given a convincing explanation as to why they forbid going to Har Habayit.
“restated the obvious issur”
Obvious to who? by who?
Harav Avrohom Shapiro shlita is best known as “Rosh Hayeshiva”